Did you know that the city of Lubbock is the fifth highest percentage of teen pregnancy in the country? Did you know that Texas has the highest percentage of teen pregnancy in the entire nation? I live in both Lubbock County and the state of Texas and I did not know any of these statistics. I thought, like many others, that the sex education programs were working. It is advertised in the local media that, "abstinence only programs work because if they did not work the government would not federally fund abstinence only programs in public schools." That is obviously not the case! If abstinence only programs are not working why not try safe sex programs? Many mothers, fathers, grandparents, or legal guardians do not like the idea of safe sex or abstinence being taught to their young sons or daughters. I understand the reasoning behind that decision but the fact is, over half of parents are not willing to take on that role of teaching safe sex or abstinence and are leaving that job to schools; therefore, it is now a debate in every school district of whether it is smarter to teach safe sex or abstinence. I think because teen pregnancy is such a huge issue today, safe sex should be taught. There are many reasons for and against safe sex programs but in the end the pros outweigh the cons but it is up to the parent to make the best decision for their child. I went to a school right outside Lubbock Independent School District, where abstinence only is taught, and was taught about safe sex. My high school did not have a pregnancy rate and I believe it is because of our program. Our professors taught us everything there was to be taught scientifically about sex. The school had young adult come in and talk about their experience with teen pregnancy, sexual transmitted disease, staying abstinence and engaging in a sexual relationship at a young age. All of the speaker's testimonies were unbelievably impacting. I still remember every word. When the psychologist in sexual relation came to speak and the talk to my class about certain feeling and thoughts and questions that might be going through our minds I felt relieved that I was normal and not ashamed or different. For personal experience, the safe sex program worked

It has been said that, "Abstinence only education is one of the religious right's greatest victories (McCormick p.2)." I truly believe this statement to be true. I have recently sat in on a classroom lecture where abstinence was being taught. It was unbelievably different from what I was taught. I was not expecting such a dramatic difference but there was. I noticed that the instructor used much of his religious beliefs to help guide them. The instructor repeatedly said that, "It is such a sin to have premarital sex so the best way to stay sin free, disease free, and child free is to not have premarital sex." Although I do agree with him, I do not agree with that method of teaching harmonious teenagers about sex. I think teenagers need to be taught all aspects of sex and having a sexual relationship. They need to be taught what happens to the body when they start going through the stages of sex and most importantly the downside to sex such as rape, teen pregnancy, and sexual transmitted diseases. It is important to know all of this because it can help a student make an honest and educational decision about having sex. I know from personal experience that the facts that I learned about sex and having a sexual relationship was the reason I stayed abstinent.

The problems with abstinence only programs are that school boards are censoring textbooks. The school board district in Franklin County, North Carolina, ordered three chapters of a health book used in a sex education class to be banished from the text book because the readings did not adhere to state mandating abstinence only education programs. The chapters that were sliced from the book were topics over AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections,...

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...With teenage pregnancy being ever prominent, it is very important for teenage girls and boys to have access to birth control in order to avoid an unintended pregnancy. Birth control and sex education is a controversial subject in many communities. The type of comprehensive health education or sex education information made available to teenagers through school is dictated by law. In South Carolina, schools are required to teach abstinence and provide information concerning sex as a future reference for family planning between married individuals. According to law, no schools are allowed to distribute contraceptives. (http://www.ncsse.com)
Is there a need for birth control in our public high schools? In 2007, 49% of female students in high school and 55% of male students in high school in South Carolina reported having sexual relationships. During this same year, 57% of females and 68% of males in South Carolina related that condoms were used during the last time they had sexual intercourse. Only 16% of females reported being on birth control pills the last time they had sex. (http://www.ncsse.com) With these statistics, it is clear that between thirty to forty percent of students having sexual relationships are doing so unprotected.
While the numbers of teens becoming sexual active in high school shows that around half of teens are sexually active, the numbers may be much higher. The emphasis on abstinence...

...Teenage Pregnancy in America
Teenpregnancy is a growing epidemic in the United States. Teen girls are becoming pregnant at an alarming rate, with a lot of the pregnancies planned. With television shows broadcasting shows such as “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom”, it is giving teenage girls the idea that it is alright to have premarital sex and become pregnant. It is in a way condoningteenpregnancy.
I am interested in discussing teenpregnancy and the options that are out there for the teens who find themselves in this situation. I don’t think enough is being done to educate or prepare these teens about how their lives will change in the event of pregnancy.
I am especially interested in this issue, because I found myself in this very situation when I was just seventeen years old. I made the decision that was best for me at the time, but wasn’t given all the support I think I needed. I didn’t have anyone to talk to who was going through what I was at the time.
I think that teenagers wanting to grow up too fast, peer pressure and television, both reality and fiction, all play a huge role in this problem.
I think the answer to probably not solving this problem, but hopefully lowering the number of teenpregnancies is to better educate our teenage...

...Condom Distribution to Teens
Over the past 30 years, condom distribution has not effectively helped against sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or teenpregnancies because condoms are used incorrectly or not at all. The question remains: does it encourage teens to engage in sex by pushing condoms in their hands? We will explore the effectiveness of the program, taxpayer views, and religious views. The theory generally accepted in justifying the distribution of condoms to teenagers is that this will protect them against pregnancy and STDs. However, in all honesty handing out condoms to teenagers is a prescription for disaster.
Condom usage to curb pregnancy and STDs may be misunderstood by creating a false sense of security in people whose behavior continues to put them in danger. “We cannot tell people how much protection condoms give,” said Dr. Malcolm Potts, one of the inventors or prophylactics lubricated with spermicide and president of Family Health International, a nonprofit contraceptive research group in North Carolina. ”I’m always amazed that we know the atomic structure of the AIDS virus but don’t know much about condoms.” Seriously, if one of the inventors of condoms is stating he is not sure how effective they are, then why promote the use through the condom distribution programs in schools? [ (Grunson) ] The assumption should not be that all teenagers are wanting or ready...

...than teenagers did twenty years ago. One of those peer pressures is being sexually active. Being sexually active then puts teenage women at the risk of becoming pregnant. Teenage pregnancies have constantly been a problem in the United States. Not only does teenpregnancies affect the mother and the child, they also affect the American society as a whole. Nonetheless, the high rates of teenpregnancies can be decreased. The use of contraceptives such as birth control and/or condoms are both solutions to help reduce the number of teenage pregnancies. Having the parents sit down and talk about sex education can help lower rates as well. However, there is one solution that completely solves every case of teenage pregnancy and that is abstinence. Teenage pregnancy is a problem in the United States that can be decreased by using contraceptives, emphasizing sex education in the home and being taught to stay abstinent.
The Problem
Teenpregnancies have constantly been a problem in the United States. Studies have shown that the United States continues to have one of the highest rates of teenpregnancy among developed nations (“Teenage Pregnancy Is a Significant”). The media plays a major role in influencing teenage pregnancy by creating a movies and television shows that represent...

...Quentoria Willingham
Dr. Hall
English 1102
30 June 2013
TeenPregnancy: Educating the Future Parents of Our Society
In 2012 in the United States, the rate of teenpregnancy is at its lowest level in nearly forty years. However, teenpregnancy still remains the highest among the developed countries in the world (Weiss 1). Most teenage girls are getting pregnant at a rapid rate.Pregnancies can occur because of the misusage of condoms, unawareness of birth control, or intentionally. Some pregnancies are unintentional and unplanned because of teens not being educated on sexual activity. In today’s society, teenage girls want to feel accepted and raise their self-esteem. Engaging in sexual activity and getting attention from guys makes them feel attractive and beautiful. Is there a solution to reduce teenpregnancy and are all precautions being taken? If teens were better educated on sex and teenpregnancy, could pregnancy be prevented? I believe that sexual education classes should be imposed in schools to reduce this problem and help teenagers think about their actions before acting on them.
I have first-hand experience on teenpregnancies. My mother was a single, teen parent. My mother birthed my sister at 17 and...

...Abstract:
Teenpregnancy is an important issue all over the country. This is an ongoing problem that must be dealt with. Teenage pregnancy can ruin a teen’s life and also the life of an infant. In this paper I will discuss the many aspects of teenage pregnancy and how it affects the life of a teenager.
Each year in the US almost 1 million teens become pregnant. While the facts are clear, the issues of teenagepregnancy are complicated. Talk of sex is everywhere in our society and young girls are portrayed as sex objects. Sex is used to sell everything from clothing to news and yet people are shocked at the rising number of teenagers who are sexually active. The concern about the welfare of infants and adolescents is so much that we must move beyond the denial and distinguish effective solutions that require us to come to a solution.
Nowadays it is becoming more familiar to a teenager to be engaged in sexual activities. They have unprotected sex and have multiple partners. Today’s society is more open about the subject of sex than ever before. It is all over the television, the internet, and even on the radio and in music videos. It is all over the media and therefore teens believe it is ok to be promiscuous and do not think about the consequences they could face with an unexpected pregnancy and how much it will change their lives forever.
Even...

...Chelsi Kasten
John Orlet
Eng 102-OL01D
1 November 2012
Reducing Teenage Pregnancy with Education
We have all heard it, parents, teachers, and students, gossiping about the latest young girl to become pregnant in high school. They make comments like, “What was she thinking” or “Her parents must be so disappointed.” Did anyone question if she had been properly educated on the risks of sexual activity or if she had been provided with medically correct information? No one stops to think about the big picture; instead they choose to be judgmental and critical of other’s decision-making skills, or lack thereof. That’s where sexual education comes in.
Teenage pregnancy, along with sex education continues to be a highly controversial subject, especially with regards to when and where it should be taught. Much of the debate comes from the two types of education, abstinence-only or comprehensive, also known as abstinence-plus. Abstinence-only education promotes sexual abstinence until marriage, leaving out crucial topics like birth control and condoms. A comprehensive curriculum includes education on the use of contraceptives while maintaining a basis of abstinence. Although there has been a steady decline in the United States teen birth rate, it remains higher than many other developed countries. Statistics show that sexually active teens in the United States are less likely to use varying forms of contraception and...

...agencies that reflect on teenpregnancy. That is because it has been an issue in the United States for a long time. Within the essay it will show how these different levels overlap with information. This will also show structure within the levels and what functions between the levels. This essay will also show how the different levels of government work together. Then my definition of public and community health.
Information Overlap
The Iowa Department of Public Health has information regarding teenpregnancies. Iowa Department of Public Health's focus is teen and young adults of the age of 10-24. Reproductive health is one thing the IDPH tries to help prevent and monitor. This includes reducing pregnancy, reduce new HIV diagnosis, reduce STD's, and promote safe sex practices, such as condoms, or birth control (IDPH - Adolescent Health, no date).
The National Campaign is to help prevent teenpregnancy. They also have information that provides education and prevention methods to teens and young adults. They also promote safe sex practices and educate the teens and parents on contraceptive use. They also educating the teens on the responsibility of becoming a parent and the stresses a baby would add to his or her daily lives. This is included in reducing the number of teenpregnancies (What...